Epilogue
Kylie
Four months later
“Okay, guys,” I say, walking out of the bedroom and shouting toward the kids’ rooms.
Nora comes out of her bedroom first, wearing jeans and her father’s jersey. “I’m ready,” she announces, and I smile at her as she walks down the steps to the front door.
“Westley,” I call his name, and he comes bolting out of his bedroom wearing the same thing as Nora.
I’m about to say Vincent’s name when he comes out of his bedroom. “Are we going to eat after the game?”
We walk down the steps together. “We are eating at the game,” I remind him, like we do every single time.
“Yeah, but sometimes we go to dinner after the game.”
“I don’t know, buddy. I guess we can ask your dad.”
“Cool,” he says as I grab my purse and head out to Knox’s SUV that he left for us to take to the game.
The kids get into the back seat as I get into the front, and we make our way over to the arena for the Saturday night game.
I pull into the underground parking garage the players usually park in but since I’m driving his car, I have access to it as well.
I pull up to the valet and he comes over to open my door.
“Hey, Kylie.” He smiles at me as he opens the back door. “And kids.”
“Hey, Clive,” they say all at the same time as Clive talks to Vincent about who he thinks is going to win tonight.
Nora slips her hand in mine as we make our way over to the elevator that will take us up to the suites. As soon as we get into the suite, the kids look around to see if anyone they know is here.
I’m putting my purse down in the corner when the door opens and I spot Knox’s dad walking in, wearing his jersey as well. “Hey.” I smile at him and he smiles back.
“Hey, Kylie,” he replies and comes to give me a hug.
For the past four months, I’ve gotten to know him a little bit more.
Knox has slowly been trying to rebuild the relationship back to what it was.
Things are still strained with his mother, but that is only because she’s being stubborn.
She is still sticking to Josephine’s side, even though she has moved on and is now dating someone she met at a coffee shop.
He’s a realtor and she seems happy with him.
It has made co-parenting easier at least. I mean, she still gives me the stink eye when she thinks no one is watching, but I get to go home with Knox, so I couldn’t care less.
Even things with his sister are starting to become better.
I’ve met her a couple of times. Of course that was only after someone showed up at her front door and told her she was pregnant with Jeremy’s baby.
Needless to say, she finally left him, but not until after she threw a vase at him and he ended up in the ER with fifteen stitches to the side of his head.
Her parents had to bail her out of jail when he pressed charges on her.
The first meeting between the two of them was strained and awkward, as he told me, but they both have made an effort to talk a couple times a week. “Are the kids here?”
“They are.” I point over to the seats.
“Are you here alone today?” I ask, even though I know Knox’s mom won’t come to a game.
“Yeah, she has a headache,” he says, making an excuse for her and I just nod my head.
“I hope she feels better,” I reply, and we share a look that says it’s a fake excuse and we both know it.
“Do you want me to take the kids down to the glass?” he asks me, and I shake my head.
“No, you should relax and enjoy the night off.” He nods as he walks into the suite and heads to say hello to the kids.
Lexi is the next to arrive and by the time Ariella gets there, we head down to the glass, where the kids each get a puck, and I get a wink from my man.
It’s a good game with the Warriors winning four to two, so the mood back to the house is light.
We even stop at the diner on the way home and Knox has to carry Nora into the house when she falls asleep in the back seat.
I walk in after everyone, closing the door and making sure the lights are off before walking upstairs.
I stick my head in all the bedrooms, muttering a good night to them.
Nora is fast asleep, Westley holds up his hand while on his stomach in the middle of his bed, and Vincent gives me a grunt from under his covers.
I smile as I walk into the bedroom, seeing Knox coming out of the closet wearing his boxers.
“Hi,” I say and he gives me a smile that still makes my stomach flutter.
I walk to him and put my hand on his chest. “Hi.” He puts his hands on my hips, bending to kiss my lips. “Did you check on everyone?” he teases.
“I did.” It is something I always do before going to bed, just to make sure everyone is okay.
“They leave for Josephine’s tomorrow instead of Monday,” he reminds me and I nod. He goes on his last away game of the season.
“I know, and you leave tomorrow afternoon,” I say sadly, hating when he leaves. “We should talk about something before you leave.” His eyebrows pinch together.
“About what?” he asks me with worry on his face.
“I think I’m going to rent out my apartment,” I say nervously. I’ve been wanting to have this conversation with him for a week, but every time I thought about bringing it up, I would chicken out.
“Really?” he remarks, not even trying to hide his smile. “Why?”
“Don’t even.” I push him away, but he grips me tighter and pulls me even closer to him. “I’m never, ever at home,” I explain, “even when you are on the road, I’m here. Half my clothes are here and every single time I come back from my place, I bring more stuff.”
“I know.” The smile on his whole face makes his eyes light up. “It’s glorious.”
“Is that so?” I question him and he nods before bending his head to kiss my neck. “We have to tell the kids.”
“Baby,” he says softly, “I think they think you already live here.” He laughs. “When was the last time they were here and you weren’t?”
“They know I still have my place,” I point out to him. “Nora and I had a sleepover there not too long ago.” He chuckles. “Well, it was supposed to be a Nora and me sleepover, until you guys crashed the party.”
“It’s not my fault the boys wanted to see where you lived.” I raise my eyebrows. “I don’t like sleeping without you.”
“Good to know.” I bend forward and kiss his neck as he takes me into his arms.
“So tomorrow,” he says softly, “at breakfast, we’ll tell the kids.”
“Sounds good.” He moves me backward from the bedroom door. “What are you doing?”
“Need to fuck you,” he says, closing the door softly.
“Knox,” I practically purr out his name as he lays me on the bed and quickly sheds my clothes. Forty-five minutes later, I’m climbing into bed after doing one more sweep of the bedrooms.
The next morning I feel the bed dip and then hear Nora’s voice. “Daddy,” she says, whispering but not really whispering, “I’m hungry.”
I open my eyes and look over at Nora, who is rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Can you make me pancakes?”
“Hmm,” Knox grumbles.
“I’ll go,” I offer, tossing the covers off me and getting up.
“Are you the only one up?” I ask her and she shrugs as we walk to the bedroom door.
The two of us walk down the stairs slowly.
“Do you want some bacon with your pancakes?” I ask her and she nods her head, going to the couch and lying back down with the throw blanket.
She turns on the television while I start the coffee before taking out the baking pan to do the bacon.
Westley is the next one down. “Morning,” I greet and he holds up his hand, not saying a word, and I silently laugh at him. “You slept good?”
“Hmmm,” he says, just like his father.
I’m grabbing a cup to make my coffee when I feel Knox at my back and then his hands on the counter, boxing me in. He bends his head and buries his face in my neck. “Good morning.” I reach up one hand to rub his upper arm. He gives me the same hmm that Westley gave me. “Want coffee?”
“Want something else,” he whispers as he presses his cock into my ass, and I laugh.
“That’s going to have to wait for about three hours.”
“Ugh,” he groans, “we could just escape upstairs.”
“Remember when we did that and Nora was at the bathroom door?” I remind him. “I’m never doing that again.”
“Fine.” He kisses me once before letting me go. “I’ll do the pancakes, you go sit with the kids.”
“I can help.” I look over at him, seeing him wearing his shorts hanging low on his hips.
“No.” He shakes his head. “You’ll bend over or brush up on me, and I’ll have a hard-on the whole time.” I roll my eyes at him, grabbing my coffee and heading over to the couch.
I curl my feet under me while the smell of bacon fills the house, watching whatever show the kids put on.
I look outside the window at the backyard, and I don’t think I’ve ever been this content before.
“Breakfast is ready,” Knox announces and then walks out of the kitchen.
“Vincent, food!” he shouts for Vincent, who is probably up but lounging in his room.
He does that a lot these days, and I know it’s only going to get worse as he becomes a teenager.
But he has been a bit better with the going back and forth now that he’s talking to a therapist so that makes it easier on all of us.
I get off the couch last and head over to the kitchen, putting my mug down and wrapping my arm around Knox’s waist. He stretches his hands over his shoulders as the kids grab their plates and fill them up with what they want to eat.
“We have an announcement to make,” he says once the kids are on their stools.
All three sets of eyes look up at us. “Kylie is going to be moving in,” he states. I look at all three faces quickly and then look up at him.
“Doesn’t she live here now anyway?” Vincent asks, pouring syrup on his pancakes.
“I don’t live here,” I try to defend myself, “I just stay here.”
“So you are going to move all your things here?” Westley questions, shoving pancakes in his mouth.
“Just my clothes,” I tell them.
“Are you getting married?” Nora asks and then gasps. “Can I get a princess dress?”
“We are not getting married.”
“Yet,” Knox cuts in and I glare at him, “but she is moving in and now will officially be living with us.”
“Okay,” Westley says.
“There you go,” Knox says, “done.” They act like it’s nothing, and I guess I should be happy that it’s smooth.
I shake my head and make my whole plate before going to the fridge and grabbing some strawberries and raspberries I washed the other day and stored them.
“I want fruit,” Nora says and I sit down on the stool and put some on her plate.
The kids eat and then clean up and head up to get ready to leave.
“Bye, Kylie.” Nora comes into the kitchen, giving me a hug when it’s time for her to leave.
“Bye, sweetie.” I hug her and kiss the top of her head. “You have a great week, and I’ll see you on Thursday at your brother’s hockey game.”
Westley and Vincent give me quick hugs before rushing out of the house. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes,” he says, coming to give me a kiss. “I want you naked in the middle of the bed.” He grabs my pussy. “You can start without me if you want.”
“Yes, because I’ve been cleaning the kitchen, the whole time thinking I really want to go upstairs and play with myself.” I push him away.
“Then don’t get naked and I’ll get you naked.” He winks at me and my phone rings right before he walks out of the house and the door slams behind him.
I walk around the counter to get it and see that Victoria is calling me. “Hello, Tori,” I say, putting it on speakerphone.
“Hey,” she says, “sorry to call you on a Sunday. Am I disturbing you?”
“Nope,” I reply, walking up the stairs and heading to the bedroom, where I do plan on getting naked for him. “What’s up?”
“Well,” she draws it out, and I can feel she’s nervous, especially when she bursts out laughing. “I know that we had a meeting a while ago.” I walk into the bedroom and sit on the bed. “I don’t even know if the offer still stands,” I gasp, “but if it does, I’d like to take the job.”
“It’s yours,” I quickly say. “Does this mean that you’re moving here, or will you be working remote?”
She takes a huge inhale. “It means I’m flying the coop and moving. Goodbye, Texas, hello, California.”
“Oh, wow. Well, I’m excited.”
“Great, me too. I can’t wait to start.” We spend ten minutes discussing when she would be able to start and when I hang up the phone, the front door opens.
“Honey, I’m home and you better be naked.” The sound of his sneakers squeaking on the stairs before he comes into the room and frowns. “That isn’t you naked.”
“Guess who just called me?” I ask him and he rolls his eyes as he kicks off his shoes, reaching behind him and pulling up his T-shirt. “Okay, I guess you aren’t guessing.” I laugh. “It was Victoria,” I tell him, and he stops getting undressed, “she’s moving here.”
“Oh, wow, that’ll be good,” he says. “At least she has Jaxon here.”
“Yeah, what trouble can she get into with her brother living here?” I ask and smile at him. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” He advances on me. “She’ll be fine.”